


Sanft

by Minos_forlorn



Series: Though we grit our teeth [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, Kittens, and fluffy cats, fluff and cats, look at me not writing angst wow, need i say more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28637862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minos_forlorn/pseuds/Minos_forlorn
Summary: "Pieck makes her way down the street, feeling some mix of nervousness and excitement, not unlike how one might feel about a solar eclipse, as she’s just had the fortune of being privy to an extraordinary event that is Annie Leonhart asking for help."(Pieck, Annie, kittens. That is all.)
Relationships: Annie Leonhart & Pieck
Series: Though we grit our teeth [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067876
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Sanft

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in an AU where RBA chose to return to Marley 2 years into the Paradis mission.

Pieck makes her way down the street, feeling some mix of nervousness and excitement, not unlike how one might feel about a solar eclipse, as she’s just had the fortune of being privy to an extraordinary event that is Annie Leonhart asking for help.

She finds her where the note said she’d be, near the headquarters, idly kicking some stones across the yard. Her head perks up as Pieck calls out a greeting, a sort of uncertainty showing on her face.

“Hi. Uh, sorry, this is stupid. You don’t have to if-”

“It’s okay,” Pieck assures her with a laugh. “So, what’s going on?”

“Well, I found Fluse,” she says, leading her behind the building. That’s what they’ve named the stray that likes to hang out around this place. It’s one of the few things that manage to bring a bit of joy to the daily Warrior life, but the cat hasn’t been seen for the last month or so. They both figured she was likely dead, though Annie could occasionally be caught looking around for any traces of her, just in case. Pieck doesn’t know what to expect and braces herself, only for Annie to point at a hole in the wall.

“In there?”

“I saw her the other day. Tried to coax her out, but it didn’t work.” She rubs the back of her neck. “She looked fine, but I just- I don’t know.”

Pieck crouches down. It’s too bright outside to see anything, but the cat doesn’t seem to be in the wall, more likely behind it. If she really isn’t ill, then Pieck might have an idea as to what is transpiring, but now she has to know. “What’s down there, the cellar?”

Annie blinks. She doesn’t spend as much time here as Pieck, who is very keen on exploring her surroundings, always on the lookout for spots where there are no eyes, or ears. “Um, probably.”

“All right. Come on.”

It’s a Saturday afternoon, so the building is mostly empty. The cellar door is unlocked, and while they’re not technically supposed to be here, what Magath doesn’t know won’t hurt him. The place serves as a storage for all sorts of clutter waiting to catch fire – old weapons, uniforms, alcohol that’s older than even Zeke. Thankfully, they don’t need to rummage through any of it, just follow the mewling. Pieck shines the torch on the bundle of fabric in the corner and cracks a smile. “Aw, Fluse, why didn’t you tell us? We’d have brought gifts or something,” she says, scratching the cat behind the ears. 

Annie stands there with her hands pressed to her cheeks, looking like she doesn’t know what to do with herself, just staring at the kittens. There seem to be only three of them, old enough to see and hear by now. “They’re so small,” she mutters, reaching out to gently stroke the one that’s particularly tiny – probably the runt.  It kind of resembles the night sky, with the flakes of dust in its black fur acting as stars. 

Pieck hums. “Guess I’ll ask around if anyone wants one.” They used to have a cat, years ago, before all this Warrior business. She doesn’t suppose she could now, not with her and her dad being away from home so often. “They can stay here in the meantime, I think. No one ever comes down here.”

They make sure to place some boxes in front of the cats to hide them better, just in case. For the next two weeks, they take turns checking up on them, leaving bits of food and water, all the while reminding each other not to get attached. Easier said than done.

One of Pieck’s neighbours agrees to take one. She bumps into Bertholdt while sneaking it out and he nearly cries when the little thing pokes its head from under her jacket. He says he doesn’t think he could take care of one, very carefully petting its head with a single finger, as though afraid of his own strength, but that he knows a lady who would be more than willing to. 

“How does your dad feel about cats?” Pieck asks one day when they’re back in the cellar, causing Annie to take her eyes from the little black kitten in her lap. She gives her a look, because of course Pieck realised a while ago there’s no way Annie’s going to part with this one. She’s been patiently waiting for her to make the decision on her own, while fondly watching them bond. It’s probably the first time she’s seen her smile, and it’s absolutely genuine, not directed at any person but at a tiny creature playing with her hair who is not aware of the significance of it. It would be good for her, she thinks, to have something to remind her there is more to life than just war and death. 

Annie turns her attention back to the kitten wrestling with her hand. “I’m sure they’ll get along just fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Annie with a cat perched on her shoulder. Picture it.


End file.
